The rise of the sharing or gig economy1 has enabled a host of new opportunities
for private individuals to sell their labor in a flexible way via online platforms,
such as Uber and Lyft for ride hailing services, Deliveroo and Just Eat for food
delivery, and TaskRabbit or Happy Helper for handyman and cleaning services.
Initially, these platforms were meant to offer individuals the possibility of a
“gig” via their apps, to earn a little extra money on the weekends and spare
time, e.g. by driving others in one’s car. As these platforms have matured, and
a growing share of their service providers (“gig workers”) depend on them for
their main income, policy makers have been confronted with the claim that the
rise of the gig economy has fostered the growth of underpaid or even precarious
work.2 Consequently, more and more calls have been made to improve gig
workers’ working conditions.